One reason so many crosses don’t end up producing a scoring chance is because players too often send them in blindly. They figure that if they’re on the wing, just whip the ball into the middle. Even in the pros, you see this time after time. A player moves down the wing and launches a cross even if there are no teammates in front of the goal. If you haven’t got a forward waiting for the cross, then you’ve got to look for other options, like turning back and looking for a midfielder.
Monthly Archives: May 2007
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Richer EPL Sinks Further into Debt
BBC News takes a comprehensive look at the English Premier League’s finances as outlined by new report from the financial firm Deloitte. Expect league salaries and spending on players to increase next season as the EPL benefits from a new $5.34 billion television deal. Rises in international and domestic TV revenues mean the league will […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
EPL Broadcast Deal to Lift Second-Tier Clubs
Top Premier League clubs might be sinking further and further into financial debt, but the Guardian says the Deloitte report also indicates that second-tier clubs like Tottenham, Aston Villa, Newcastle and Everton also stand to benefit from the increased purchasing power brought in by inflated broadcasting revenues. The 50 percent increase in broadcast revenue over […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Fire Expects Blanco Windfall
The Chicago Fire isn’t quite expecting the Beckham-bounce from Cuauhtemoc Blanco the L.A. Galaxy and MLS will receive once David Beckham takes to the field in July, but club GM John Guppy expects Blanco’s presence to greatly increase the team’s visibility once the Mexico international takes the field for the first time this weekend. Corporate […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Donovan Wants Out of Copa
In separate interviews with U.S. national team star Landon Donovan and coach Bob Bradley, Andrea Canales of L.A. Soccer News reveals that Bradley and his star player have very different views about his plans for the summer, which is proving to be an especially tricky one given that the CONCACAF Gold Cup is immediately followed […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
TFC in for Radzinski?
Is Toronto FC on the lookout for a designated player? If so, the club might want to take a second look at the sky-high prices its already paying the likes of Andy Welsh, Carl Robinson, Danny Dichio and now, Jeff Cunningham, the Toronto Star says. With the likes of Luis Figo, Rivaldo and Robbie Fowler […]
Posted inSoccer America Confidential, Story
The Loan Moan
Hollywood must truly be the land of make-believe, in sports as well as films. When asked if David Beckham, whose return to the English national team sparked a flurry of proclamations between FIFA and the Galaxy about his availability, might be loaned out to a European team during the MLS offseason, Galaxy president Alexi Lalas couldn’t pass up yet another chance to whip up the waters of controversy.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
U.S. Soccer plans nationwide youth academy program
The U.S. Soccer Federation is creating a national youth league and academy program for teenage boys that will involve up to 2,400 players at both the U-15 and U-18 age groups, according to Washington Post reporter Steven Goff . “The federation plans to identify 60 to 80 youth clubs across the country,” reports Goff. “Those clubs will then select players from the under-15 and under-18 age groups to participate in the academy.”
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Manchester United signs phenoms Nani and Anderson
Four years after signing 18-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo, then a relatively unknown winger at Portuguese club Sporting, Manchester United has spent big money on two young prospects from Portuguese clubs. United agreed to sign Sporting winger Nani, who has been compared to Cristiano Ronaldo, for $35 million and Porto’s Brazilian playmaker, Anderson, dubbed the new Ronaldinho, for a similar amount.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
W-League’s Sunwaves peak in Rockies
[W-LEAGUE RESULTS] The San Diego Sunwaves became the first team to record three wins when they improved to 3-0-0 with wins at Ft. Collins (3-2) and Mile High (4-0). Rebekah Patrick and Holly Grogan scored in both games. Mexican international Sophia Perez in goal got tremendous support from Mariette Boyce, Beth McNamara, Lisa Gomez, Ana Gutierrez and Patrick. For complete results and goalscorers …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Kansas City and Ocean City remain perfect in PDL
[PDL RESULTS] The Kansas City Brass improved to 4-0-0 with a 1-0 win over Springfield and 3-1 victory at St. Louis. Joshua White had the lone goal in the win over the Demize, while he had the second goal against the Lions, who had a run of 15 games without a defeat going into the game. The Ocean City Barons are the only other unbeaten and untied team in the PDL. They improved to 4-0-0 with a 1-0 win over the Richmond Kickers Future on a goal by Byron Carmichael with a header off Sean Boyle‘s free kick in the second minute. For complete results and goalscorers …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Brennan’s strike for Toronto tops MLS golazos
[VIDEO] MLS can be justly criticized for several facets of its play, and the current goalscoring rate of 2.55 goals per game isn’t spectacular, yet more than a few of the goals have been just that. Each of the five nominees for Goal of the Week last week deserved high praise: Toronto midfielder Jim Brennan belted a 35-yarder to take the prize, yet it only edged out Maykel Galindo‘s 30-yard smash after bouncing up from a midfield tackle and a great free kick by Christian Gomez.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
OFF THE POST: Now that’s fan support!
When word got out earlier this year that Vietnam’s head coach Alfred Riedl, 57, needed a kidney transplant, 80 Vietnamese soccer fans offered to donate one of theirs. A compatible donor was found, and the popular Austrian is recovering well. "I was really touched when I saw that so many people wanted to help me," Riedl told FIFA.com. "Vietnam now is even more a part of me.”
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Final spots on line for U.S. U-20s
Players such as Italian-based New Yorker Gabriel Ferrari have a chance to clinch a spot on the U.S. team that will compete in this summer’s U-20 World Cup when Coach Thomas Rongen assesses a 16-man squad during a dress rehearsal tour of Canada. Perhaps half of the players Rongen has taken north of the border for a pair of games against Canada in the next week won’t be on his final roster, yet in the Canadian contingent are several players Rongen has been anxious to observe up close as he makes his final roster decisions for the FIFA Under-20 World Cup (June 30-July 22 in Canada).
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They’re Saying
“If Rafa said he wanted to buy ‘Snoogy Doogy,’ we would back him.”
— Liverpool’s American owner George Gillett, trying to demonstrate his support of Coach Rafael Benitez‘s offseason player shopping, creates a new rapper moniker. (BBC)
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Scotsman McBeth pays price for FIFA remarks
Sepp Blatter‘s re-election to a third term as president of FIFA on Thursday was overshadowed by remarks by Scotsman John McBeth critical of corruption within FIFA countries that resulted in his being replaced by Geoff Thompson, chairman of the English FA, as Britain’s vice-president on FIFA’s executive committee. McBeth won his place in a vote of the four British associations earlier this year, but remarks about African and Caribbean nations to Scottish reporters last week sparked a swift reaction within FIFA.
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Lalas: We Could Loan Becks
In an interview with Sky Sports, L.A. Galaxy general manager Alexi Lalas revealed that the club would be willing to release David Beckham on loan once the MLS season ends in November. The Daily Mail says several English clubs have already expressed interest, including Newcastle United, Arsenal, Tottenham, Blackburn and Everton. A loan return to […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
The Other Copa Libertadores Semifinalist
Because South America’s biggest clubs are constantly forced to export their best players to Europe, there is almost always one surprise package that makes it to the semifinals of the South America’s championship, the Copa Libertadores, writes SI.com’s Tim Vickery. Colombian club Cucuta is the team that fits that bill this year, he says. It […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
International Break Draws Ire in Spain
As ever, the action in La Liga has overshadowed the goings-on of the Spanish national team. And given the nail-biting finish to one of the most exciting La Liga seasons in years, this year’s June international break is being met with downright derision, says ESPN Soccernet’s Phil Ball. Why? On the one hand, Spain is […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Reborn Johnson Bags Second POW Award
The Kansas City Wizards have come out of the gate on fire in this early stage of the MLS season, thanks in large part to the vastly improved play of young Eddie Johnson. He rightly earned Player of the Week honors for scoring three goals including the winner against then-league leader New England Revolution in […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Israeli Phenom Leads Euro 2008 Charge
Israeli striker Ben Sahar of Chelsea barely stepped foot on the field for the Blues last season; the talented 17-year-old striker made his debut on Jan. 6 against Macclesfield Town in an FA Cup match. He played in his first Premier League game against Wigan Athletic one week later. As the English season entered crunch […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Tremors in San Jose; Fire eyes Chilean star
Soccer America’s Ridge Mahoney provides the latest on efforts to bring back the Earthquakes and the Chicago Fire’s courtship with Chilean legend Marcelo Salas …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
MLS STATISTICS: Who’s to blame for the goal dearth?
Kansas City’s 4-3 win over New England last Saturday was the highest scoring game of the 2007 season, but MLS goalscoring so far this year remains just barely over 2.5 goals per game. In fact, five teams have scored fewer than one goal per game. The lowest-scoring team in the league is none other than defending champ Houston, which has mustered just five goals in eight games. Just slightly worse in futility in front of the net are Columbus, Toronto, Real Salt Lake and Chicago. New England and Kansas City are tops, scoring at a rate of two goals per game. For up-to-date MLS standings, schedules, leading scorers, attendance and goalscoring averages …
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
OFF THE POST: Worst free kick ever?
[VIDEO] The British Web site “Who ate all the pies” hailed this free kick by New England’s Khano Smith against Kansas City as the worst ever taken by a pro – and Revs coach Steve Nicol seemed to agree.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Four newcomers included in U.S. roster for China game
[ROSTER] U.S. coach Bob Bradley‘s 19-man roster for Saturday’s friendly against China includes 11 European-based players who are also on the USA’s Gold Cup roster and four national team newcomers: Lee Nguyen (PSV Eindhoven/Netherlands), Kamani Hill (Wolfsburg/Germany), Charlie Davies (Hammarby/Sweden), Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA). The contingent of MLS players for the China game is limited to Chivas USA players because Chivas does not have a game this weekend. The squad’s most experienced players are Kasey Keller, DaMarcus Beasley, Carlos Bocanegra, Clint Dempsey, Tim Howard, Oguchi Onyewu and Ante Razov